This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Retinol and Retinyl Linoleate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Madecassoside to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsostearyl Neopentanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcrylamide
Sodium
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Vp/Va Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantRetinol
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Linoleate
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylamide, Sodium, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Vp/Va Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Triethanolamine, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Retinyl Linoleate, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientIsocetyl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantMannose
HumectantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantSucrose Tristearate
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Steareth-10
EmulsifyingIsobutane
Madecassoside
AntioxidantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTetrasodium EDTA
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingToluene Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Glycerin, Mannose, Ascorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose Tristearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Steareth-10, Isobutane, Madecassoside, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Xanthan Gum, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water